International Students: Heerf Eligibility And Access

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) was created by the CARES Act to provide financial aid to students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, international students were not eligible for HEERF grants as they did not meet Title IV eligibility requirements. However, with the release of HEERF III, the eligibility criteria were expanded to include all students enrolled in an institution of higher education during the COVID-19 national emergency, regardless of their Title IV status. This means that international students may now be eligible for HEERF grants, provided they can demonstrate exceptional need. The distribution of grants is at the discretion of the educational institutions, which must prioritize students with exceptional financial need.

International students are eligible for HEERF grants if they meet Title IV eligibility requirements

International students' eligibility for HEERF grants has been a subject of discussion, with some sources stating that they are eligible if they meet Title IV eligibility requirements. The US Department of Education (ED) has issued guidance on the eligibility criteria for HEERF grants, which are funded by the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). The fund was created by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Initially, international students were not eligible for HEERF grants. However, with the release of HEERF III, the ED expanded the eligibility criteria to include international students, regardless of their Title IV status. This means that international students who are enrolled in an eligible institution during the COVID-19 national emergency are now eligible for HEERF grants.

It is important to note that while international students may be eligible, the ED encourages institutions to prioritize domestic students, especially undergraduates, when allocating funding. Additionally, institutions must prioritize students with exceptional financial need. This determination of exceptional need can be challenging for students who do not complete a FAFSA form.

To be eligible for Title IV, a student must meet specific requirements as defined by Section 484 of the Higher Education Act. These requirements include being enrolled and accepted for enrollment in a financial aid-approved degree or certificate program, having a high school diploma or GED, and making satisfactory academic progress. Students must also not owe an overpayment on Title IV grants or loans and must not be in default on a Title IV loan. As part of the financial aid application process, students must file a certification that includes a statement of educational purpose and social security number.

In summary, while international students may now be eligible for HEERF grants, they must meet the Title IV eligibility requirements and demonstrate exceptional financial need. The distribution of grants is at the discretion of the institutions, and they must follow the ED's guidance on prioritizing students with the greatest need.

International students enrolled in online programs on March 13, 2020, are not eligible for HEERF grants

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) was created by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Initially, eligibility for HEERF grants was restricted to students who were eligible for Title IV federal student aid. However, this criterion excluded most international students, who were, therefore, generally ineligible for HEERF grants.

The Department of Education has since issued new guidance on the third round of HEERF grants, authorised by the American Rescue Plan. This latest guidance includes a new final rule on student eligibility, which allows undocumented students, those enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and international students. According to this rule, all students enrolled at an eligible institution on or after March 13, 2020, the date of the declaration of the national emergency due to the coronavirus, are eligible for HEERF grants. This includes international students, regardless of whether they completed a FAFSA or are eligible for Title IV.

However, it is important to note that this rule does not apply to students who were enrolled exclusively in online programs on March 13, 2020. The USDE's April 21 guidance states that such students are not eligible for HEERF-student share funds. This is because the legislation is intended to assist students who were directly affected by COVID-19, and students who were already enrolled in online courses were not disrupted in the same way as those who had to transition to online learning due to the pandemic.

Institutions have the responsibility of determining how grants will be distributed to students and how the amount of each student grant is calculated. They must prioritise students with exceptional financial need, but they cannot condition the receipt of emergency financial aid grants on continued or future enrollment in the institution.

International students must be enrolled in an eligible institution on or after March 13, 2020

International students are eligible for HEERF grants if they were enrolled at an eligible institution on or after March 13, 2020, the date of declaration of the national emergency due to the coronavirus. This is the final rule on student eligibility for HEERF grants, and it applies to all three HEERF tranches.

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) provides financial aid grants to students to cover any component of the student's cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to the coronavirus. This includes tuition, food, housing, health care, and childcare.

To be eligible for HEERF grants, international students must meet the eligibility criteria set by the institution they are enrolled in. This typically includes prioritizing students with exceptional financial need. International students must also be enrolled in a full course of study at a Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school to maintain their status as F-1 or M-1 students in the United States.

It is important to note that institutions have the responsibility of determining how grants will be distributed to students and the amount of each student grant. International students can contact their financial aid office for details on how to access these resources.

International students do not need to be Title IV recipients but must be eligible for federal student aid

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) was created by the CARES Act. The CARES Act, or the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, was passed to provide relief to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Initially, international students were not eligible for HEERF grants. The USDE's April 21 guidance stated that students must meet Title IV eligibility requirements to receive HEERF-student share funds. As most international students do not meet these criteria, they were not eligible for emergency grants.

However, with the release of HEERF III (ARP) under the American Rescue Plan, eligibility requirements changed. The final rule on student eligibility for HEERF III states that all students enrolled in an institution of higher education during the COVID-19 national emergency are eligible for emergency financial aid grants, regardless of whether they completed a FAFSA or are eligible for Title IV. This means that international students can receive HEERF funds as long as they meet the eligibility criteria.

To be eligible for HEERF grants, a student does not need to be a Title IV recipient, but they must be eligible to receive federal student aid. While the USDE does not require a FAFSA, it is the most practical way to determine Title IV eligibility. Title IV eligibility requirements, as defined by Section 484 of the Higher Education Act, include:

• The student is enrolled and accepted for enrollment in a financial aid-approved degree or certificate program.
• The student has a high school diploma or GED.
• The student meets the standards of satisfactory academic progress.
• The student does not owe an overpayment on Title IV grants or loans and is not in default on a Title IV loan.
• The student, as part of the financial aid application process, filed a certification that includes a statement of educational purpose and social security number.

It is important to note that institutions are responsible for determining how grants will be distributed to students and calculating the grant amounts. Institutions must prioritize students with exceptional financial need.

International students are eligible if they are enrolled and accepted for enrollment in a financial aid-approved degree or certificate program

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) grants are intended to assist students who were directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of Education has announced more than $36 billion in emergency grants for higher education institutions and extended support eligibility to international students.

The Department's final rule on student eligibility for HEERF III funds states that all students who are or were enrolled in an institution of higher education during the COVID-19 national emergency are eligible for emergency financial aid grants from the HEERF, regardless of whether they completed a FAFSA or are eligible for Title IV. This includes international students, provided they are enrolled and accepted for enrollment in a financial aid-approved degree or certificate program.

Students cannot apply for assistance directly from the U.S. Department of Education. Instead, institutions have the responsibility of determining how grants will be distributed to students, the amount of each student grant, and the development of any instructions provided to students about the grant. HEERF III Emergency Grant Requirements mandate that institutions must make financial aid grants to students, which can be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care, or childcare.

While international students are eligible for HEERF III grants, the U.S. Department of Education encourages institutions to prioritize domestic students, especially undergraduates, in allocating this funding. Institutions must ensure that funds go to students with exceptional need.

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